ISCHEMIA

Anchor lead: Are we
ready to stop using stents in the heart for many people? Elizabeth Tracey
reports

Angina is pain in the chest, often as a result of narrowed
arteries supplying the heart. Now a study known by the acronym ISCHEMIA has
shown that people whose conditions are stable may experience the most benefit
by careful medical management rather than stent placement. Erin Michos, a
cardiologist at Johns Hopkins, offers her opinion.

Michos: I think ISCHEMIA is confirmatory. They looked at
some other softer outcomes trying to make a case for the stents in terms of
people with quality of life and symptoms of angina. You have to talk to
patients, what they’re trying to gain from this. If they’re trying to prevent
heart attacks, prevent cardiovascular death in patients with stable angina it’s
not the stents it’s medical therapy. There may be some patients that have really
refractory symptoms that maybe benefit from revascularization but cardiac rehab
and lifestyle can also really help with symptoms as well. :33